The Experiment

My hypothesis:

By making a conscious effort to document the things in my life I am grateful for, I will be a happier, more content person.

I don’t want to give you the impression for one second that I’m miserable in midlife (a term I hate by the way - must think of a better one - it feels a bit like tempting fate). I’m far from miserable. I have (generally) a positive outlook on life. I’m busy and productive and life is good. No complaints.

But life is changing for me. With two kids flown and a third in the second half of their high school career, my husband and I are halfway to our empty nest. Our once overflowing dishwasher no longer goes on at least once a day, and my involvement in school related activities, though still pretty heavy, is no longer overwhelming. Life isn’t the daily fire fight of a busy, active, household and I have time, and space, to think about what I want to do for myself.

And it’s all a bit scary and unnerving.

And although I feel I prepared myself pretty well for the emotional impact of my kids growing up, and have even given thought to what comes next - when my husband and I really do have that time and space, right now, in this half empty nest stage when even the child left at home is independent and busy, life is strange.

But life is also short, and I am aware that I am one of the lucky ones. So this blog is an attempt to make sense of the weird space I find myself in and maybe, just maybe, to help others make sense of it too.

Read the blog here: